Clay Buchholz to make at least one more rehab start

BOSTON — Clay Buchholz made clear after his rehab start Saturday with Triple-A Pawtucket that he felt ready to — and wanted to — return to the major leagues. He won’t get his wish.

Brian MacPherson Journal Sports Writer brianmacp

BOSTON — Clay Buchholz made clear after his rehab start Saturday with Triple-A Pawtucket that he felt ready to — and wanted to — return to the major leagues. He won’t get his wish.

Boston manager John Farrell said Monday that Buchholz will make a second rehab start with the PawSox on Thursday, a start during which he’ll target 90 pitches. Buchholz had thrown just 62 pitches on Saturday, which Farrell implied was not an adequate build-up for a pitcher who previously hadn’t started a game for three weeks.

Other than the pitch count, however, Farrell said he was encouraged by the work Buchholz did in his start Saturday — a start that was as much about figuring out why he has a 7.02 ERA as it was rehabilitating his hyperextended left knee. That work was more important to Buchholz and the Red Sox than the line score — he gave up a pair of home runs but struck out five in 4 2/3 innings pitched.

“Clay went out and was able to accomplish, for the most part, some of the delivery adjustments he’s been working on,” Farrell said. “Overall strikes were improved. We recognize what took place in the line score inside that, but a higher percentage of strikes, better power overall, more defined shape to the individual types of pitches. We need to get him up to 90 pitches or so this next outing.”